Means for controlling energy delivered to translating devices.



No. 684,725. Patented Oct. l5, i90l.

J. SACHS.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ENERGY DELIVERED T0 TRANSLATING DEVICES.

(Application filed Km. 9, 1900. Renewad Feb. 28, 1901.)

(No Modal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I WIT ESEES TN: Noims PETERS co.. vuorcm'mm wAsHmr-Tom D, c.

No. 684,725. Patented Oct. l5, IQDIQ J. SACHS.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ENERGY DELIVERED T0 TRANSLATING DEVICES.

(Application filed. Max. 9, 1900. Renewed Feb. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH sAonS, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ENERGY DELIVERED TO TRANSLATING DEVICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,725, dated October 15, 1901. Application filed March 9, 1900. Renewed February 28, 1901. Serial No. 49,375. (No model.)

To ctZl whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOSEPH SACHS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Means for Controlling Energy Delivered to Translating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the method of and means for controlling energy delivered to translating devices, the prime mover being an engine of the gas or hydrocarbon explosive type and the translating devices being a motor vehicle or machinery operated by power and in the operation of which machinery there are varying torque requirements to be met, according to the resistance encountered by the translating devices. Heretofore it has been usual to supply a prime mover of ample capacity to meet all the varying requirementsof resistance and speed; but a prime moverof such ample capacity is expensive and exceedingly heavy, especially where it is necessary to carry such device on a motor-wagon. Small engines of the type above mentioned and particularly those of the so-called hydrocarbon explosive type, are easily stalled if the torque demanded of them is greater than that resulting from the explosive pressure.

The object of my invention is to automatically compensate for the varying conditions of resistance and speed incident to the operation of the translating devices and the motor operating the same, or, in other words, the varying'torque supplied by the motor in operating the translating devices and overcoming the varying resistances or obstacles en countered by the translating devices and to accomplish this with a prime mover or engine of small capacity and weight, so that at no time shall the prime mover be stalled in its operation because of the increased demand for torque of the motor devices.

My invention relates especially to the method of and means for operating motorvehicles, and it may be stated as an illustration that a certain power will be required when the motor is running at a maximum speed and that an increase of energy will be required to overcome obstructions met by the vehicle-such as rnts in the road, car-tracks, the turning of sharp curves, the striking of soft ground, or the ascending of a grade-and that to overcome such obstacles additional pull or torque will be required to be exerted upon its wheels.

In carrying out my invention I employ a gas or hydrocarbon or similar engine as a prime mover. This is preferably operated by fixed quantities of material rather than controlled by a governor, so that the energy output of the prime mover is constant. This prime mover may be coupled to a dynamo in any mechanical Way known in the arts or the dynamo may be upon the same shaft. The prime mover is preferably of compact construction and of sufficient maximum capacity to operate the vehicle at maximum speed upon smooth level ground.

The engine or prime mover and the dynamo or similar device are supported in any suitable manner from the frame of the motor-vehicle. Adjacent to the driving-wheels or axle of the vehicle I attach one or more electric motors, which are electrically connected to the dynamo for supplying the current therefrom to the motor. The motor and dynamo are electrically connected in such a manner that if the motor is running at a set speed and is instantly called upon to supply additional torque to overcome obstructions met by the motor-vehicle or other translating device the said additional torque requires an'increase of the electric current flowing in the motor and supplied from the dynamo. This increase of current at once causes a lowering of the electromotive force generated in the dynamo. Increase in the electric current supplied to the motor enables themotor to exert its extra torque effort, but at a decreased speed, owing to the decreased potential supplied to it. This lowering of the electromotive force and increase of the current results in a reduced speed and an increased torque capacity without an increase of the power supplied from the dynamo to the motor, and consequently ,Without increasing the power demanded of the prime mover or engine. This action is automatic, and in order to effect the same be tween the dynamo and the motor automatic regulating devices may be employed, with slight variations.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation and partial section representing my improvements connected to a vehicle, and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view representing the parts and circuit connections.

In the drawings, a represents the prime mover or engine using gasolene, benzin, or similar material as a fuel. The dynamo is represented at b and the motor at o. The motor used to drive the vehicle-wheels or the other translating devices may be either shuntwound, series-wound, or otherwise wound. I have shown in the drawings a shunt wound motor. The set or normal running speed of the motor may be varied by using a rheostat d in the field of the shunt-motor. Other equivalent means may be employed for effecting this condition.

To effect the lowering of the electromotive force and the increase of the current supplied to the motor to satisfy the demands of the torque required, I prefer to employ a dynamo which has a shunt-winding tending to magnetize the field of the dynamo in a constant direction. As the output of the dynamo is constant and the torque required by the motor is variable, it will be evident that the electromotive force of the dynamo must vary inversely as the current supplied to the motor, and vice versa. This result can be eflfected by using a solenoid or iron core f, the latter being mechanically connected with the arm of a rheostat gin the field of the shunt-wound dynamo and the solenoid-coil. The arm of the rheostat at the other side of the pivot is connected to a spring h to draw the arm in a direction opposite to that in which it is drawn by the action of the solenoid. This solenoid effects the movement of the arm of the rheostat and, according to the position of said arm, increasing the resistance and lessening the field strength or decreasing the resistance, and consequently increasing the field strength and so varying the electromotive force. It is obvious that devices the equivalents of the solenoid and rheostat may be employed for effecting the same object.

Modified arrangements may be used in which, for instance, the solenoid-coil may be employed to shift the brushes of the dynamo, or the magnetic resistance of the dynamo field-magnets may be varied by a solenoid and suitable mechanical attachments, or the dynamo-armature may be moved in or out of the field of the dynamo. Owing to the features of my invention as hereinbefore stated, the engine used to drive the dynamo can be much smaller, and consequently lighter and of less cost, than would ordinarily be required to meet the conditions of use under ordinary circumstances. This engine, as partially hereinbefore stated, is made exceedingly simple because of the absence of governors and other controlling devices, the same being pref erably operated by a fixed intake of energyproducing medium, such as a mixture of gas and air or the fixed quantity of hydrocarbon fuel, the controlling device consisting in the electrical operations between the dynamo and motor, which do not require the engine to exceed its fixed energy output. With my improvement the engine should be started and allowed to be momentarily in operation until some speed has been gotten up in the dynamo-armature before the vehicle is started, and I prefer to employ suitable reversingswitch devices for the motor, so that the direction of its movement,and consequently the direction of the vehicle as well as the speed, may be changed at pleasure. Thesedevices, however, form no essential part of my present invention.

In my improvement the energy output of the prime mover or engine is constant, as is also the electrical energy developed in the dynamo, and I do not limit myself to any particular form of engine, dynamo, or motor.

It is obvious that my improvements are not limited to use in a motor-vehicle, but can be applied equally well to any translating de' vices where the demand for torque varies in said devices.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a system. of electrical-power transmission, a prime mover or mechanical power-' producing device, an electric generator coupled to and driven by said prime mover, and an electric motor connected to the translating devices and electrical connections between the motor and the dynamo, comprising a solenoid in main circuit and a rheostat in the dynamo-field circuit, said rheostat being so operated by said solenoid that an increased or decreased resistance is thrown into said dynamo-field by said rheostat as an increased or decreased torque output is demanded by the motor thereby causing a decrease or illcrease of the electromotive force and an increase or decrease of current supplied to the motor, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a motor-vehicle with a prime mover a, of an electrical generator I) connected to and driven by said prime mover a, an electric motor 0, a connection therefrom to an axle of the vehicle, a rheostat d for controlling said motor, and means, comprising a solenoid fin main circuit, and a rheostat g in generator field circuit, whereby an increased or decreased torque output in the motor is automatically compensated for, without a variation of mechanical output, by decreasing or increasing the generator-field strength and thus decreasing orincreasing the electromotive force and increasing or decreasing the current supplied to the motor, substantially as set forth.

3. In a system of electric-power transmission, a prime mover or mechanical powerproducing device, an electric generator cou lid 'pled to and driven by said prime mover and an electric motor connected to the translating devices and electrical connections between force and an increase or decrease of current 10' supplied to the motor substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 6th day of March, 1900.

JOSEPH SACHS.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, S. T. I-Iavmmvn 

